Today’s quick review: Stolen. After eight years in prison for a botched bank robbery, Will Montgomery (Nicolas Cage) wants nothing more than to make up for lost time with his daughter Alison (Sami Gayle). But his reunion is cut short when Vince (Josh Lucas), Will’s former partner, kidnaps Alison and demands the $10 million from the robbery—money that Will doesn’t have. Now Will has just hours to locate Vince before he loses his daughter forever.
Stolen is an action thriller starring Nicolas Cage. The movie follows Will Montgomery as he tries to rescue his daughter from his vengeful ex-partner while trying to stay one step ahead of Tim Harlend (Danny Huston), the FBI agent who put him behind bars. Stolen has a basic premise but a viable one, with ample opportunity for action, tension, and character development. However, its weak execution leaves it outclassed by other entries into the genre.
Stolen fails to take advantage of the opportunities it sets up. Will’s incarceration, Vince’s revenge, and the broken trust between them are all ideas with high dramatic potential, but they are undermined by the minimal amount of effort the movie puts into its characters. The same goes for Will and Alison’s relationship. What should be the emotional core of the movie is hampered by the limited screen time they share and generic writing.
The flaws extend into the action as well. Will makes a handful of smart moves, but he’s not the master thief the movie makes him out to be. Vince makes for a despicable villain but not an imposing one. For his part, Harlend is painted as an honorable opponent of Will, but he’s too inconsistent to contribute much to the plot. Shaky characters, a limited action budget, and a bare-bones plot undercut Stolen’s attempts to be a successful thriller.
Stolen has the makings of a fine, if generic, action thriller, but its execution leaves plenty to be desired. Fans of Nicolas Cage or budget action in general may get a kick out of it, but most viewers will find that it comes up short in a variety of ways, ranging from its stunts to its plot to its character work. Stolen avoids the very worst missteps of the genre, but its modest strengths are outweighed by its many weaknesses.
For an action thriller with a similar premise and much sharper execution, try Taken. For a Nicolas Cage crime movie with a similar setup and more character, try Gone in Sixty Seconds. For a more over-the-top action movie that stars Nicolas Cage in a similar role, try Con Air. For a more explosive action thriller with a similar villain, try Speed.
5.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for a decent setup and flaky execution.